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Park
Oct 15, 2021 21:52:21 GMT -5
Post by cheeseybear on Oct 15, 2021 21:52:21 GMT -5
Aron gives the silver-head a friendly nod of acknowledgement, stretching for a moment before taking off jogging. Once he's done, he checks to see if the drone-operator girl is still being watched. If she is, he goes to say hi to the onlooker.
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Park
Oct 17, 2021 14:17:59 GMT -5
Post by Vitsheep on Oct 17, 2021 14:17:59 GMT -5
Aron
By the time you do a lap around the trails and get back, you find the drone-girl's stalker has moved and is now sitting next to her. Drone-girl doesn't seem to be paying her much attention, absorbed in her work. Meanwhile, the blonde has jumped into the river and is splashing around.
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Park
Oct 20, 2021 23:11:46 GMT -5
Post by Vitsheep on Oct 20, 2021 23:11:46 GMT -5
Aron
You feel a bit tougher after the jog.
Gain a Proficiency.
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Park
Nov 3, 2021 20:09:48 GMT -5
Post by Vitsheep on Nov 3, 2021 20:09:48 GMT -5
Tai
You head to the park. You find Lance kicking a soccer ball at a tree and trying to headbutt it off the rebound. You get a glimpse of Grant heading out into the woods, followed by a half-dozen squirrels. Meanwhile, Ilya is standing on the docks in a bathing suit, staring at the river.
You get a text message from Mattea. "Hey, wanna come over and chat? I'll even wear that zap collar for a few rounds of cards or something if you want"
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Park
Nov 5, 2021 19:26:18 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Digi on Nov 5, 2021 19:26:18 GMT -5
Tai messages back. "Sure thing. On my way."
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Park
Nov 6, 2021 1:45:12 GMT -5
Post by Vitsheep on Nov 6, 2021 1:45:12 GMT -5
Tai
Move to Home
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Park
Jan 19, 2022 2:00:29 GMT -5
Post by Vitsheep on Jan 19, 2022 2:00:29 GMT -5
Nora, Dewey, Floyd, Sam
As you all approach at the park, the fog begins to lessen slightly. Once you get through the fence into the park proper, it becomes more apparent why. There's a gold-and-white, giant bird perched in one of the trees which is bending slightly under its weight. The bird is letting off a bright light, which seems to be pushing the fog back enough that you can at least see in here.
Mareena is leaning up against the tree, arms crossed. When she spots you, she looks up and waves without smiling.
And the two aren't alone. Somnis is sitting nearby in her wetsuit, cleaning a knife and staring over at three of those guys in the black robotic armor. Two others you don't recognize are here in what looks like the usual Otherworld armor. One, a younger girl in what looks like a farmer's outfit with overalls and a handkerchief over her face. The other, an older guy that looks like he came out of a classical literature book of swashbucklers, complete with a scarf around his face, coattails, and a hat with poofy white plumage.
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Park
Jan 19, 2022 2:06:00 GMT -5
Post by Neo 5.0 on Jan 19, 2022 2:06:00 GMT -5
Nora lands and flexes her wings briefly, clearly staying ready to launch right back into the air. "Hello Mareena, dear. I see Alice isn't here yet. Which means you have about... Hmm, I'll say 5 minutes to brief me on what flavor of apocalypse we're facing before I fly over to Vitcorp."
She casually waves to the giant golden phoenix.
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Park
Jan 19, 2022 11:15:10 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by mrfuzz111 on Jan 19, 2022 11:15:10 GMT -5
Dewey gives Mareena and Hinoh an affirmative head nod, then upon noticing Somnis looks around but realizes someone else is missing.
“You and Tia didn’t come here together?”
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Park
Jan 19, 2022 14:58:22 GMT -5
Post by Vitsheep on Jan 19, 2022 14:58:22 GMT -5
Nora
"Alice is fine," Mareena assures you. "Well, 'fine' is a strong word for it. She's not in immediate danger. But flying off to Vitcorp's just going to make things worse, and she's not even there. Stay calm and wait for the rest to arrive."
Dewey
"We did, but all the guardians besides that bird went off to do aether magic stuff so that we don't have to worry about everyone using their keys at once," Somnis explains. "She should be back... eventually?"
Nora, Dewey, Sam, Floyd
Kiran walks out of the bathroom, phone in hand.
"Yeah. No, but So...hark girl is. Well, and Mareena and some other guys I don't know. Also some of those robots. And a giant bird. Yeah, Hinoh. ...Yeah, she seemed fine. Well not really fine, she was kinda delirious from the fever but like... sick, not weird. Hospital? Hang on, I'll ask Sharky. She'll know." Kiran calls over to Somnis. "Hey, did anyone we know end up in the hospital lately?"
Mareena steps in. "Oh, do you have some of our missing people on there? Good, that saves time. Tell them to put their phone on speaker."
"Hey, Mareena says to p- OK."
"Hello! Good morning. Well, morning anyway," Mareena says, now addressing the phone. "We're waiting for some others to arrive, so please be patient. But we do need to fix this problem before the portals open again at midnight and a bunch more monsters come out, 'K? So I called everyone."
"Everyone?" Kiran asks.
"Everyone!" Mareena assures him.
Everyone
Within the next few minutes, more people begin to arrive. Tom comes in with Fox and Katie, and Raine and Freya arrive together.
"Aunt Hinoh's here!" Katie yells, running over to check the giant bird.
"Um... You do realize that Hinoh's a guy, right?" one of the armors asks, the one carrying a sword and shield.
"Huh?" Katie asks. "No way!"
"Like... y'know male birds are the ones with brighter plumage?" Shield says.
"Yeah, but you're comparing it to what other bird? Or did you forget she's a magic phoenix?" Katie insists.
Mareena laughs. "No, no. I assure you, Hinoh is male."
"Huh? But... I've been calling her Aunt Hinoh for months, why didn't... she, uh, he... what?"
Hinoh's head tilts. "Didn't matter, didn't matter."
Grant, Tia, and Laura return in their humanoid forms shortly after.
"I think that sssshould be enough... probably?" Tia says.
And then another four people in the black armor arrive, joining the first three as their own group away from the others.
"Hold on, there's seven of you?" Kiran asks.
"Wow, you can count that high? Impressive. But no, there's seven of us here," the one with the laser cannon answers. "Totally different."
"Please stop fighting amongst yourselves, you're all going to have plenty of that today," Mareena announces. She claps. "Anyway! We have a lot of work to do. So, question! Does everyone understand how a Soul Key works? No? Simple explanation, then. A Soul Key acts as a catalyst to convert ambient aether into a useful form, like weapons or armor. It's driven by emotion. Which is why when people have big emotions, it attracts a bunch of monsters! Which is what's happening now. Basically, someone's key has gone completely out of control. Which, eh, it happens sometimes. Usually it's not so big a problem. But it sorta happened to a lot of people all around the same time, which has resulted in... this." Mareena gestures at the fog. "Right now, the monsters are manageable, but we need break through their shells and stop them before things go out of control. Any questions?"
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Park
Jan 19, 2022 15:07:36 GMT -5
Post by Neo 5.0 on Jan 19, 2022 15:07:36 GMT -5
Nora crosses her arms. "Yes, several, actually. But first and foremost. Whose keys went haywire and why? And where is Alice?"
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Park
Jan 19, 2022 15:26:44 GMT -5
Post by Vitsheep on Jan 19, 2022 15:26:44 GMT -5
"OK! Where is Alice. Not completely sure. Somewhere downtown. You felt those big tremors earlier? She's causing them, so we should be able to use that to find her. The others would be Tempest and Bunbun. As for why?" Mareena shrugs. "Stress? Has something been on her mind a lot lately? Not that you should start sharing with the class, just something for you to think about."
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Park
Jan 19, 2022 16:08:21 GMT -5
Post by Neo 5.0 on Jan 19, 2022 16:08:21 GMT -5
Nora grits her teeth. "So let me get this straight. You have no idea where she is- just somewhere downtown- and she's causing tremors. And attracting monsters. But she's in no immediate danger. Those two statements do not go together, Mareena."
Nora flaps her wings and starts to hover. "I have this Soul Key for one reason and one reason only. Obviously I'm leading the team downtown. Who else is coming with me? Choose fast."
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Park
Jan 19, 2022 19:21:04 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by mrfuzz111 on Jan 19, 2022 19:21:04 GMT -5
“Before you go rushing off, it would probably be a good idea to ask exactly how to undo what her key is doing. If she’s the one causing tremors then that means it’s still actively running out of control, right? Is shutting it off as simple as calming her down, or is there anything else we need to do?”
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Park
Jan 19, 2022 20:54:00 GMT -5
Post by Vitsheep on Jan 19, 2022 20:54:00 GMT -5
Nora, Dewey, Sam, Floyd
"It is admirable that you care so deeply for a loved one, stranger, but we need to think logically and in detail before we begin dividing ourselves and charging into danger," the also-stranger with the feathered hat says. "What would this person think if she learned her friends got injured - or worse - in a suicidal charge to rescue her? We need to consider a plan, and how carry out the operation in an efficient and well-balanced way!"
"He's right, you know." The robot with a pair of scimitars strapped to its back says, arms folded.
"If this were a problem that could be solved with nothing but guts and zeal, Mareena would've solved it by herself instead of bothering so many others," the one next to Scimitars says. This one has a pair of long knives. These two look like they're probably a package deal. "Therefore, I assume we need teamwork and planning."
"That said, I'm going to be coming with whoever's going after Alice," Shield says.
"So am I!" Tia yells.
"You know I'm in," Tom says. "But who said you could come?"
Sword shrugs. "Did it sound like I was asking your permission, chief?"
Tom takes a step forward. "You-"
"Oh, good. We'll also need teams for Bunbun and Tempest, as well as people that can just help deal with all the monsters in the way," Mareena interrupts, loudly, before the argument can escalate. "I have a better idea where they are... mostly. At least more specific than 'downtown.'" She points at Nora. "And let me clear something up. Alice is attracting monsters, yes. But right now, she's so far gone that they don't even recognize her as not a monster herself. She's not in danger, she is the danger. As for fixing her-"
Mareena stops as a bright light illuminates the entire park for a moment. A giant pillar of fire seems to erupt from the sky, stabbing into the ground.
"...As I was saying..." Mareena holds up two fingers. "First, we'll need to crack through the shell of aether she's built around herself, then... I don't know! Calm her down, break her key, knock her out, restrain her... well, she might be a bit too tough for that to work. Any of the others should."
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